a silver cigarette
half smoked
lying shimmering ghostlike
on the sandy concrete steps
in an otherwise dull world

a styrofoam cup
partially disfigured
tumbling noisily
over the abandoned bridge
in an otherwise silent world

a body of rushing liquid
entirely hidden
babbling of its depth
deep in the underground sewer system
in an otherwise shallow world


the things you walk past at 3:07 am
when the transit system is closed
and there is no parking on campus
so you walk
bare feet and mala beads
and you realize
you aren't cold or afraid
despite temperature or statistics:
******* numbers